Mike’s Gringo Life

Mike’s Gringo Life Radio Show Archive

Listed below are show archives and named based on original broadcast date

11/28/2013 Show Topic: Ashley Rodgers from Ecuador At Your Service

11/28/2013 Show Description: On Today’s show Mike Cobb ( Mikesgringolife.com) and Ashley Rogers (Ecuadoratyourservice.com) co-host a program that will be aired on each others shows. Produced at the Live and Invest conference in Panama City, November 21st, Mike and Ashley talk about relocation overseas in general and what it is like to be an expat living abroad. They explore the various aspects of how to locate a great property overseas and some of the tips for making the move overseas go smoothly. Enjoy listening to two expats who thoroughly love their new lives overseas as they share some stories and experiences about the expat lifestyle. Tune in to www.overseasradio.com for Mike Thursdays at 3:00 PM and 11:00 AM EST on Monday for Ashley & Michel.

11/14/2013 Show Description: In the first 2 segments, Mike talks with Bobby Casey, an US citizen who has relocated to Latvia with his wife and 2 kids. It’s not a place we think about too often when we think about moving overseas, in fact, there are few if any US expats in Latvia which suits Bobby just fine. He talks about live there and getting set up to call it home. If you are planning to live outside the US, many of the experiences and suggestions are universal. Some are not, but Bobby does a good job of laying out some of the basics where you want to live in Nicaragua or live in Latvia. Mike’s second guest is Tres Knippa, a commodities broker on the floor in Chicago. Tres is not an expat, but he runs a fund called Short Japan Debt. Listen to the Show.

11/07/2013 Show Topic: Living in Nicaragua

11/07/2013 Show Description: This week on Mike’s Gringo Life on the overseas radio Network, Mike interviews 3 folks who love Nicaragua. The first couple segments he talks with Thierry Lippert, the ambassador of Luxembourg to Nicaragua and a good friend. Thierry and Mike have enjoyed volcano surfing, hiking, building school playgrounds, parties, pinatas, and numerous other activities together. His daughter Joanna was on the Expat Kids segment a couple weeks ago and his son James has also appeared with Amanda on the expat kids segment. Thierry works with the hospitality school in Nicaragua and his wife teaches alongside mine at the Nordic school. Our third guest is Bud Shimmon, a fantastic example of someone who’s living life to its fullest. Over 80 now, Bud recently played a round with Kent Payne on Gran Pacifica’s golf course. Bud has some words about investing in Nicaraguaand why he chose to do so. Our final guest is Angela Semanta who initially came to Nicaragua as a Peace Corp Volunteer but who is now living in Nicaraguaby choice full time. She’s also the proud mother of a new baby boy.Tune in to hear some great stories and opinions about what it’s really like on the ground in Nicaragua.

Tune in Thursday at 2:00pm Eastern in for a great show on the Overseas Radio Network.

Tune in and enjoy the show, Mike and his guests for important discussions about their experience living and investing overseas. We hope you will be able to catch the show this and every Thursday at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Join Mike on the Overseas Radio Network by just visiting the web at www.overseasradio.com and click the Listen Live button. This week’s show is pre-recorded but you can email Mike in case you have questions for him or his guests and he will surely answer or transfer questions to them for you to receive a response.

Also, if you are not able to join Mike live, you can hear all of his broadcasts by visiting the Overseas Radio Network’s archives section.

10/31/2013 Show Topic: How do we deal with a US banking system that is beginning to limit transfers of money out of the USA?

10/31/2013 Show Description: Mike continues with the important topic stared last week, and that is how do we deal with a US banking system that is beginning to limit transfers of money out of the US. Whether the beginnings of currency controls, or just an overreaction by Chase Bank to the FATCA rules, Chase Bank is now ceasing to process outgoing international wires for its customers. Imagine for a minute you want to by a condo in Belize and you bank with Chase. You can’t. Or you own a business importing handmade furniture from Ecuador, coffee from Costa Rica, or wine from Chile. You can’t if you are a Chase bank customer. International Attorney Joel Nagel gives us his impressions of the situation quoting from the Chase Bank letter and the FATCA provisions.

10/24/2013 Show Topic: Chase Bank restrictions and how they affect International business

10/24/2013 Show Description: On Today’s show, Mike addresses the new letters from Chase Bank about the wire restrictions coming in the next few weeks. For those who missed the news, Chase Bank has decided that it will no longer wire money internationally for it’s clients. If you are living overseas, like I am, and working overseas, this is a huge problem. My business world , developing resort communities in Latin America revolves around international wires so not having the ability to move money around will cause a lot of problems for people like Mike. Mike talks with Peter Zipper from Caye Bank in the 4th segment of the show about this issue.

First, Mike talks with several folks in Panama about what it means to be living in Panama. Mike also talks with Jimmy Wellborn about a property he owns and is developing in the far western side along the Pacific Ocean. He has a series of ocean front lots that are a great value for folks looking for a piece of property on the ocean, close to a small town. Jackson Simon, is a 13 year old American living in Panama and we talk about growing up overseas, as well as running a new business called Trader Jacks. In the 3rd segment we talk with a couple of ladies who live in Panama and who help folks find homes to rent or buy, and are having a great time.

10/17/2013 Show Topic: While looking for an expat lifestyle, our guest now considers to be a Perpetual traveler

10/17/2013 Show Description: Mike interviews Kathy Ulrich and Richard Prati on Mike’s Gringo Life. Both are folks who love Colombia, Medellin specifically and are considering an expat lifestyle. Both have spent a considerable amount of time outside the US in their search for the right place to settle, or perhaps not settle and become a PT or Perpetual Traveler. This nomadic lifestyle is right for some folks who want to see a lot more of the world and don’t feel the need to make strong ties to any one location. Also this week, Amanda is back with Expat Kids when she interviews her friend Joanna. Joanna has lived in Luxembourg, the Canary Islands, and now Nicaragua. Enjoy another great episode with some wonderful guests and keep those questions and comments coming.

09/05/2013 Show Topic:Live from San Antonio Texas - Ann Hoffman

09/05/2013 Show Description: This week on Mike’s Gringo Life, Mike interviews Ann Hoffman who has started a new business helping people who want to move overseas. Ann helps people determine what may best suit them and their needs. Ann’s website is enjoylivinginternationally.com

This topic is near and dear to my heart, as exemplified by a woman who just approached me after speaking at the Live and Invest conference here in San Antonio. She asked if there anyone who could help her sort through the mountain of data and choices given at a conference or in newsletters. Ann was immediately located to help the woman who asked me the question to uncover her real and sometimes hidden motivations for wanting to live overseas. In almost psychologist fashion, Ann asks people to explore the “why’s” of their desires to move into a new adventure. This exploration will bear wonderful fruit when taken as part of a comprehensive analysis of moving overseas. Reach and out and talk to Ann for more information on her focus.

We hope you will be able to catch the show this week and every Thursday at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Join Mike on the Overseas Radio Network by just visiting the web at www.overseasradio.com and click the Listen Live button. This week’s show is pre-recorded but you can email Mike and Ann in case you have questions.

Also, if you are not able to join Mike live, you can hear all of his broadcasts by visiting the Overseas Radio Network’s archives section.

08/22/2013 Show Topic:Living and Working in Panama City, Panama

08/22/2013 Show Description: This week on Mike’s Gringo Life, Mike interviews some expats living and working in Panama City, Panama. First up is David Sewell who has lived in Panama for 7 years and has experience starting a business in Panama. David tells about moving to Panama and then setting up a trucking business there. Darren Doyle is also featured on the show and as a serial expat, this 32 year old Irishman, has lived in 6 countries after leaving Ireland and talks about the cultural adjustments to life outside your native country. In the final segments of the show, we return to David Sewell who talks about his new role as the Vice President of Georgetown Trust and some of the structures and investments they offer to people looking to diversify their assets overseas. Tune in Thursday at 2:00pm Eastern in for a great show on the Overseas Radio Network.

06/06/2013 Show Topic:Expats living in Medellin, Colombia

06/06/2013 Show Description: This week on Mike’s Gringo Life, Mike interviews some future expats considering a move overseas. First up is Kathy Ulrich, a foreign language teacher from Colorado who is seriously considering a move to Medellin, Columbia. She talks about living in Columbia for the last month with a family learning Spanish in an immersion program. Not only is she learning Spanish, she’d developing a wonderful relationship with the members of the family and already sinking roots in the community. We also talk with Richard Prati who is looking at real estate investments in Central America and who is also looking at Medellin, Columbia as a possible place to relocate. Richard is someone with international real estate experience having owned property in Brazil. Then it’s Amanda Cobb with us for another Expat Kids segment. She gets the scoop about growing up and living in Nicaragua straight from her friends who are growing up overseas. Tune in Thursday at 2:00pm Eastern in for a great show on the Overseas Radio Network.

05/23/2013 Show Topic: Living in Panama

05/23/2013 Show Description: Mike interviews some expats living Panama. First up are Dennis and Christie Martinez who currently make their home in Panama City, Panama, but who have lived in the Azuero Peninsula near Pedasi. Christie and Dennis talk about how they arrived at their decision to live in Panama and what living in a small town was like. Amanda Cobb then takes over with Expat Kids and interviews one of her friends little brother about his life and experience in Nicaragua. Then we come back to expats in Panama conclude the conversation with Dennis and Christie before talking with Debra Sewell, who has enjoyed living in Panama for 7 years. She and her husband David have owned and operated businesses in Panama as well and she shares some of her experiences.

05/16/2013 Show Topic: Retire, Live and Golf in Nicaragua

05/16/2013 Show Description: This week on Mike’s Gringo Life, Mike interviews 4 different expats in Nicaragua about life and opportunities in the country. His first guest, Ben Wheatly, talks about living and working on the Southern Pacific Coast of Nicaragua in a spa resort. His friend, Jack Griffin is next and talks about living in Managua and his life as a retired expat while looking for opportunities to get involved in a business. Mausi Kuhl, an expat living and working in the north side of Nicaragua talks about her cattle production and farms in the mountains. And on his final segment, Mike interviews Jo-Anne Stoltz, from Canada, who talks about living and working at Gran Pacifica as the manager of the restaurant and now manager of the golf course

05/09/2013 Show Topic: Foreclosure Properties in Central America

05/09/2013 Show Description: This week, Mike from Mike’s Gringo Life covers topics from beautiful Belize and the mountains of Nicaragua. His first guest is Jason Hartman who runs a real estate firm in the US focusing on distressed properties and foreclosures. Jason and Mike discuss the parallels between domestic US foreclosures and foreclosures in Belize or foreclosures in Costa Rica. If you are interested in learning more about it, don’t miss the show. Mike’s second guest is Mausi Kuhl from Selva Negra. Mausi talks about how the coffee plantation, resort and farm are environmentally sustainable as well as a viable economic enterprise in Nicaragua.

04/25/2013 Show Topic: Alternative Investments in Strategic Metals, Living in Panama and Sustainable Agriculture in Nicaragua

04/25/2013 Show Description: Mike will be interviewing Knut Anderson in his first segment. Knut talks about alternative investments in strategic metals. Later, in the 2nd and 3rd segments, Mike interviews Mike and Linda Simpson, expats living in Panama who use the “4 C’s” as their measuring stick when looking at a location to live outside the US.
In the final segment, Mike interviews longtime friend and organic coffee farmer and cloud forest resort owner, Mausi Kuhl about her success with sustainable agriculture in Nicaragua.
Tune in and enjoy the show, Mike and his guests for a lively and fun discussion about hard asset investment, living in Panama and Sustainable Agriculture in Nicaragua.

04/18/2013 Show Topic: Living in the Mountains of Nicaragua

04/18/2013 Show Description: This Thursday on “Mike’s Gringo Life”, Mike will be interviewing Vicky and Don, both living in the mountains of Nicaragua. This week, he travels to Selva Negra to escape the heat of Managua in the “summer.” Vickie Kuhl, one of the owners of Selva Negra, talks about what it’s like to home school their daughter Rachel and to live on the mountain. Rachel enjoys a traditional curriculum, but also participates with scientists studying on the mountain, and has even written and published a book. In the final segment, Don Sloth, another member of the Selva Negra family, talks about moving down from New York about a year ago to take over running the resort and hotel part of the farm with his wife Karen. He also home schools his two kids.

04/11/2013 Show Topic: Transitions and life in Belize

04/11/2013 Show Description: Mike Cobb interviews his friends and Macarena Rose and Yvette Dalton from Belize. Macarena has her own show on the Overseas Radio Network focused on Belize specifically. Mike talks with Macarena about how she ended up coming to Belize and the cultural differences of adjusting to her life overseas and how she became involved in Real Estate in Belize. Mike then talks with Yvette about her decision to move to Belize and that experience as a single woman moving to Belize and making a new set of friends and associates. Both Yvette and Macarena have been featured on House Hunters International and run a phenomenal real estate organization, Rain Forest Realty in San Ignacio, the Cayo Disctrict, Belize.

03/14/2013 Show Topic: Living in Panama and Health Insurance Coverage in the Region

03/14/2013 Show Description: This week Mike talks with some expats living in Panama. Jim Grover moved his family to Panama City Panama several years ago and describes life there with his wife and son. Jim moved from the North East where he’d worked in the financial sector and thought he’d retire to Panama. However, after several months of relaxation, he decided to take on some part time work and teamed up with Caye Bank and Peter Zipper to talk with expats living in Panama about their banking and financial services needs. Jim talks about life as an expat but also the financial services sector so strong in Panama.
Mike then interviews some representatives of BUPA insurance, the carrier that Mike and his family use for overseas medical insurance. Don’t miss the Show.

02/28/2013 Show Topic: Interviews with Gary Mosley and David Stubbs

02/28/2013 Show Description: Mike Cobb will have some expats living in the region on the Mike’s Gringo Life Show ((ORN)) this week. Gary Mosley will be featured on the first two segments or Thursday’s show. Gary will be talking about his expat life in Panama and how he is now project manager for Gran Islotes (( ECI )), a community in development on the western side of the Azuero Peninsula. Gary has adapted to the hectic life in Panama City, but also the more laid back lifestyle of the country side about 4 hours west of the city on the Pacifica. Gary is an avid fisherman and has some fish tales to tell us about the ones that got away, and the ones that didn’t. In the second half of the show, Mike talks with David Stubbs, long time expat from Britain who has lived in Asia and now Costa Rica. David has raised kids overseas and we explore these topics for people thinking about what it is like to raise a family overseas (( Mikesgringolife)). Tune in and enjoy words of wisdom from the mouths of people walking the walk.

02/21/2013 Show Topic: Live interview with Bob Adams, historian, demographics expert, and futurist.

02/21/2013 Show Description:Be sure and tune in for Mike’s Gringo Life Thursday, February 21 at 2:00pm EST. Bob Adams, a historian, demographics expert, futurist, and full time expat himself talks about his years of research into why North Americans are planning to retire overseas, who they are, what they want, where they are going, and why. Bob’s survey dataincludes over 100,000 responses from multiple surveys taken by Zogby and others through the years. He is the preeminent expert in the field and Mike is honored to have him on the show this week.

Be sure and tune in to hear about the current research, but also where Bob thinks things are going down line. ECI Developmentand many other folks building homes in Latin America have relied on his data to spot trends and build communities that serve a real need for consumers. If you want to read a short article on the demographics analysis ahead of the radio show, click here. Tune in February 21, 2013 at 2:00pm on the Overseas Radio Network to hear Bob and Mike discuss these exciting times and where things are going. The information you’ll hear will help you make wiser decisions about your future.

02/14/2013 Show Topic: Interviews from Granada, Nicaragua

02/14/2013 Show Description: On this week’s show of Mike’s Gringo Life, Mike interviews a variety of folks about life in the region and work in the region. Lindsey Stenberg, a former intern, talks about her work at La Chureca as part of the Fabretto Foundation. La Chureca is the municipal dump in Managua and many families make a living scavenging for recyclables there. Lindsey is working with kids and moms to help create an educational infrastructure and support network in a seemingly impossible situation. AmandaCobb then jumps in with another Expat Kids segment interviewing Alec and Lauren, who are visiting Nicaragua for the first time. Alec and Lauren enjoyed a week in Nicaragua swimming at the beaches of Gran Pacifica, zip lining through the jungle, and hiking the cloud forests in the mountains listening to howler monkeys. Later in the show Mike interviews Jose Levia, who runs Wake Forest University’s affiliate campus here in Managua. Jose is in charge of Casa Dingledine, and talks about Wake Forest’s programs and how he finds the experience of working for the university. In the final segment, Mike talks with Robert Kroesen who manages Teak Plantations in Panama. Teak is a popular plantation tree because of rapid growth in the region and the value of the hardwoods produced when harvested.

02/07/2013 Show Topic: Interviews from Managua

02/07/2013 Show Description: On Thursday February 7, the Mikes Gringo Life show features the Expat Kids as the opening segment. Emily Cobb, 8 years old, not to be outdone by her big sister Amanda age 12, wants to take on the role of host for the show and interviews her big sister. They discuss their new school, the Nordic School in Managua and life in general as expat kids. In the 2nd and 3rd segments, Mike interviews Pam Bruce and Pat Schwartz who participated in Gran Pacifica’s day of social service with the Fabretto Foundation. Pat also describes a medical tourism procedure she received while here and raves about the process and quality of the care she received. In the 4th segment, mike interviews Donnie Iris, a Pittsburgher known world wide for such hits as “Ah Leah” and “Love is Like a Rock” reaching #9 on the Billboards. Donnie enjoyed a fantastic week at Gran Pacifica and a day in Granada touring the Mombacho Cigar Factory. Donnie plans to return for a cigar tour of Nicaragua later in the year and will perhaps drag along some former Steelers and other fun loving folks to come along. If you’d like to join him, let me know. In the mean time, tune in Thursday at 2:00pm EST for some great stories and fun.

01/31/2013 Show Topic: Interviews with Peter Schaller, John Dugue, and Expat Kids with Amanda

01/31/2013 Show Description:This Thursday on “Mike’s Gringo Life” from Nicaragua, Mike will be interviewing Peter Schaller of the Fabretto Foundation, from the Domingo Savio Center just outside of Managua, Peter has been an expat in Nicaragua for the past 17 years and this time he helped coordinate the painting and planting project with Gran Pacifica and ECI Development Group. They will be discussing about his experience and the programs he runs through Fabretto in Nicaragua.

On his next segment, Mike invites Amanda to do her Expat Kids’ segment and she interviews three kids from the Center. To close the Show, Mike brings on board one of the ECI Development Directors and coordinator of the Corporate Social Responsibility Program, John Dugue, who comes to Nicaragua every year and works on every social program ECI and Gran Pacifica plans and has definitely fell in love with the country.

We hope you will be able to catch the show this week and every Thursday at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. Join Mike on the Overseas Radio Network by just visiting the web at www.overseasradio.com and click the Listen Live button. This week’s show is pre-recorded but you can email Mike, Peter and John in case you have questions about their interview.

If you wish to also share this with your partners and friends you are welcome to do it, and you will also find some pictures and blog about this show on Gran Pacifica’s website. Blog here

01/24/2013 Show Description: This Thursday on “Mike’s Gringo Life” from Nicaragua, Mike will be interviewing Joel Nagel, ECI Director, from the Domingo Savio Center just outside of Managua, while both were also working on a painting and planting trees social project in a high school and Service Center. They will be discussing about the experience Joel had twenty years ago while building the Roberto Clemente Health Clinic through the Pittsburgh Rotary Club. To close the interview Mike and Joel will also discuss about the tax compliance issues for expats living abroad and the implications of the HIRE Act and the FACTA provisions embedded in it.

We hope you will be able to catch the show every Thursday at 2:00 PM Eastern Time

12/11/2012 Show Topic: Mike’s Gringo Life

12/11/2012 Show Description: on this show Mike will interview 3 women working and living in the region. More and more women are looking beyond the US and Canada for an active lifestyle in the tropics. Mike’s first guest is Kit Marchel who is living in Panama and enjoys a fantastic lifestyle helping others in a wellness capacity. Mike’s second guest is Elizabeth Dull, who lived in Belize for several years before recently moving to Panama to work with ECI Development’s Panama Project, Gran Islotes. Elizabeth shares her experiences in both countries of what it’s like to be a single mom with a child. Our final guest on the show is Helen Korengold, an expat living in Granada Nicaragua for 9 years and recently wrote a book about Medical Tourism in Nicaragua.

12/04/2012 Show Topic: Mike’s Gringo Life

12/04/2012 Show Description: On Mikes Gringo Life show date December 4th, 2012, Mike will be interviewing the founder of the Overseas Radio Network himself,David Gregerson. David has recently moved the radio station to Costa Rica and he is now planning to take up the expat lifestyle with his wife and 3 children sometime next year, perhaps in Panama. He discusses his search criteria for both a professional relocation of his business and also those factors important for his family and their anticipated move. He is honest with his concerns about living overseas, and why he feels that the benefits outweigh the risks, or he admits, possibly just the perceived risks. In the second half of the hour, Mike interviews Jimmy Wellworn, a US Expat living in Panama for 6 years about his transition and why he has started a new business helping folks find properties for development. Jimmy tells listeners about a specific property in the far west of Panama on the Pacific that he thinks would be a good fit forECI Development to consider as a project for US retirees looking for inexpensive beach properties close to David, a city of nearly 100,000. In the final segment, Mike talks with long time friend and tax attorney, Joel Nagel, about the impending deadline for tax planning inside the current tax rates. Attorney Nagel discusses how some taxes will go up by almost 300%, and the incoming inheritance tax will cripple family farms and small businesses for generations to come. December 31, 2012 is the last day to make estate transfers and the law firm of Nagel and Associates will do their best to help everyone they can right up to the last minute.